Alfred h



(No Model'.)

A. H. GRAFPTEY.

SHIRT WAIST.

Patented July 28, 1896.

Fig

INVENTOH WITNESSES:

A TI'OHNEX ma Noam vzrsns co. wow-um. vusmumon. b c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED H. GRAFFTEY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

SHIRT-WAIST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 564,925, dated July 28, 1896.

Application filed S t b r 30,1895. Serial No. 564,085. (No model.) 7

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED H. GRAFFTEY, of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Shirt-Waists; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts.

My invention relates to improvements in ladies shirt-waists and similar garments that are prepared for the trade in large quantities and are therefore called st0ck-waists or stock-garments.

The purpose of the invention is to render the location of the belt readily adjustable to women whose waists are of different lengths and to enable the wearer to readjust the location. Heretofore the belt has been sewed at both edges to the waist, and when ladies have purchased such waist and the belt was sewed a little too low or a little too high for them or after shrinkage it has been necessary to remove the belt and relocate it. Its nature will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the description following.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is the back of a shirt-waist with the belt turned up. Fig. 2 is the same with the belt turned down. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the waist and belt, the belt being shown in dotted lines turned both up and down.

I secure or stitch the belt 1 along one of its edges only to the shirt-waist 2 at a point which is found by experience to be the location of the belt of the average-sized woman. Of course I would also make longer and shorter sizes of the waist. In the free edge of the belt I secure the tape 3, which is used only in that variety of shirt-waist which has no belt in front. If the belt extends all round the waist to the front, then such tape would be omitted. The purchaser when trying 011 her waist either turns the belt up or down to suit the length of her waist. The stifiness of the belt holds it vertically in place and prevents its wrinkling and its free edge need not therefore be stitched or sewed to the shirtwaist. belt is free, as shown in Fig. 3. The tape by being secured to the free edge of the belt rather than elsewhere tends to hold it in place.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

As an article of manufacture, a shirt-waist When made and sold, one edge of the or similar garment comprising the body of the garment, and a belt sewed along only one of its edges to the body at the waist-line, whereby the belt may be turned up or down to adjust the length of the waist to any wearer. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of September, 1895.

. ALFRED H. GRAFFTEY.

Witnesses:

V. H. Looxwoon, ZULA GREEN. 

